The meeting hall at Sect Leader Peak was as lively as ever, with sect disciples bustling about, handling affairs, taking on tasks, and reporting on missions. The curtains made of cloud silk and shark silk, along with the crystal pendants decorating the corridor, swayed gently in the breeze. The main hall was made of jade, not to emphasize some ethereal purity of immortals, but because jade’s gentle nature could better absorb moonlight, aligning with the cultivation direction of Chen Yue Sect.
Using jade to construct the palace was one reason for cultivation; another was to remind everyone in the sect of their responsibilities. Immortals receive the blessings of the Heavenly Dao and the worship of humans, so naturally, they must give something in return. Chen Yue, Chen Yue—twelve hours of the day, the waxing and waning of the moon each month, and the rising and falling of tides—all fall under the jurisdiction of Chen Yue Sect. They must regularly check these, and if there’s any deviation, use immortal power to correct it. If that doesn’t work, they communicate with the Heavenly Dao to sort out the lines of cause and effect and the world’s structure.
Of course, this responsibility isn’t lifelong. But to become an immortal, the Heavenly Dao paves the way for you, and the incense of the human world stabilizes your foundation—these are essential. Thus, after receiving these blessings, the responsibility weighs on you for 3,000 years. After 3,000 years, you can seek your path of cultivation, and naturally, successors will take over the work.
For those with exceptional talent, 3,000 years is enough to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, achieving longevity with heaven and earth. After leaving the sect, the mountains are high, the waters are long, and the world is vast—there’s plenty of time to pursue your path. For those less talented, 3,000 years is the lifespan limit before the Nascent Soul stage. With the sect’s protection, they don’t have to compete with various monstrous geniuses in the cultivation world for resources, allowing them to live longer and happier lives.
As for the power positions within the sect, these are judged by the elders. Taking on responsibilities is a big deal, and any mistakes will incur heavenly punishment, so the inheritance of positions is handled with utmost caution.
The current sect leader of Chen Yue Sect was chosen under this system. Sect Leader Wen Shunian is the martial nephew of the previous sect leader, primarily cultivating beast control and following the Path of Transformation. His spiritual beast contract is with a nine-tailed white fox, and his primordial spirit takes the form of a nine-tailed pink fox.
He is quite good-looking, with pink hair and light purple eyes. His long hair cascades down, and his sharp fox-like eyes can make the usually shameless Artifact Refining Peak Master fall silent with just a glance.
But even when he falls silent, there’s a bit of reluctance. He tugs at Wen Shunian’s sleeve, whining, “Sect Leader Senior Brother~ Cloud iron is useless for other peaks, so why not give me another ten percent, just ten percent.”
“I’ve already given you forty percent, and Talisman Array Peak only got thirty percent. Just a few days ago, the Third Peak Master came to make a fuss. If I give you more, he’ll come to make a fuss again. Besides, although other peaks don’t need as much cloud iron as your Artifact Refining Peak, they still need some. If I give more to you, the other peaks won’t get any at all!”
Wen Shunian’s heart was as firm as iron, unwavering. He lifted his chin, his attitude resolute. “Besides, your peak only has one personal disciple. You and one disciple, how much cloud iron do you need?”
“But our peak has also taken in many outer disciples, especially in the past few months. Although their talent and artifact refining skills aren’t great, we can’t give them nothing. The forty percent is really hard to distribute…”
—The so-called outer disciples are naturally different from the inner disciples. The difference lies in the way they are accepted and their talent. Inner disciples are mostly calculated by the peak masters who practice divination within the sect, and immortals personally descend to find them. Disciples determined by the Heavenly Dao often have extraordinary talent and also fit the master’s preferences.
As for outer disciples, those who pursue the path of cultivation and manage to reach the immortal gate by climbing countless cloud ladders or by chance, these people have good character. Even if their roots aren’t great, they can often enter the outer sect. Among them, those with extraordinary talent can also be exceptionally admitted to the inner sect.
This isn’t unfair; it’s just that the path of cultivation is ninety-nine percent talent and one percent effort. If your roots aren’t good, even if you give it your all, you may not reach the Nascent Soul stage.
Inner disciples enjoy better resources and also bear more responsibilities. If there’s a conflict with the Demon Clan or Monster Clan, it’s often the inner disciples who stand at the forefront. Gains and losses are balanced, so it’s not entirely unfair.
One could say that every creature has its own survival rules, and immortals are no exception. However, where there’s a gap, there will inevitably be friction and disputes. These are matters that the peak masters and sect leader need to consider.
“But this year, the cloud iron harvest is indeed limited. If it doesn’t work, change the rules for resource distribution within the peak,” Wen Shunian was also a bit troubled. He tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the desk, thinking of a solution.
At this moment, Lian Chaoxi’s clear voice came from the doorway, “Sword Peak has half a share of cloud iron this month. Give it to Junior Brother Lu. Junior Brother, help my new disciple make a weapon as an exchange. How about it?”
The conditions for cultivating the sword path are even stricter. Moreover, even if not cultivating the sword, those with talent in the Path of Affection who can catch Lian Chaoxi’s eye have been rare over the years, with only Lou Shuangzui. Therefore, Sword Peak has no outer disciples to this day, only a few immortal servants and a couple of cats.
Yet, Lian Chaoxi’s combat power and cultivation level are quite impressive. He just passed a thousand years old and is already at the peak of the Transformation Stage. He actively participates in battles with the Demon Clan and Monster Clan and in fights for resources for the sect. His achievements are well-known, so Sword Peak receives a fair share of resources each year. Occasionally, when there’s no other way, senior and junior brothers would shamelessly borrow some from Lian Chaoxi, promising to return it when they have extra in a couple of months.
Hearing this voice, Lu Mique, the black-haired, blue-eyed peak master of Sword Peak, brightened up. He turned back happily, “Senior Brother Lian is finally taking a disciple. What kind of weapon do you need? I’ll refine it for you quickly!”
Lian Chaoxi had just walked past the long window frame, and as Lu Mique’s voice fell, his figure appeared at the main entrance of the Sect Leader’s Hall. He wore a moon-white outfit, the fabric soft and ethereal like clouds.
Lou Shuangzui followed behind him, the young man now dressed in a shark silk outfit. The overall color was dark green, with half of the outer garment in black, featuring martial sleeves. The sleeves were black, and the clothes were adorned with golden and green patterns, making him look extremely sharp.
—This was something Lian Chaoxi had hurriedly taken him back to Sword Peak to change into. Immortal clothes are crafted with magic, able to adjust to the wearer’s shape and are water, fire, and dust-resistant.
This outfit was a gift someone had given Lian Chaoxi years ago, but the style didn’t suit him, so it was left to gather dust in the warehouse. However, it unexpectedly suited Lou Shuangzui very well. The rich colors made him look even more striking and fierce, with the golden patterns on the collar echoing his eyes, making him look exceptionally beautiful.
“Hmm? A new disciple, quite good-looking.” The Second Elder of Sect Leader Peak, Wen Guyue, suddenly poked his head out from behind a screen. He had curly black hair, even curlier than Lou Shuangzui’s, and his light gray eyes were like gemstones catching the light, with deep, chiseled features.
He was Wen Shunian’s senior brother, and as one of the sect’s representatives of combat power, he was more active on the battlefield. Paperwork and negotiations were never his strong suit, so he had been resting behind the screen.
When he came out, Wen Guyue was still full of fatigue. He stretched lazily, “But to cultivate immortality, just being pretty isn’t enough. Have you tested his spiritual root and spiritual power?”
“I just brought him back, haven’t had the chance to test his spiritual root, and don’t know what weapon he’s best with yet,” Lian Chaoxi answered both questions in one sentence. He turned his head and smiled at Wen Shunian, “Brought him to meet Sect Leader Senior Brother. Senior Brother, you have a spiritual testing stone here, right? We might as well test his spiritual root.”
“Alright, Second Junior Brother, help me get the spiritual testing stone,” Wen Shunian’s gaze fell on Lou Shuangzui’s face. He studied the young man’s expression and couldn’t help but smile. He casually instructed Wen Guyue, his demeanor softening considerably.
“Indeed, he’s quite good-looking, and my intuition tells me I should get along well with this big disciple of Sword Peak.”
Lu Mique opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he closed it without speaking. He just pulled a chair from the tea table nearby and sat down, resting his head on his hand, looking at Lou Shuangzui with curiosity and delight.
—Not knowing what weapon he’s best with, they’ll wait until they know to craft one. Senior Brother Lian has helped him many times, and even without that half share of cloud iron, he wouldn’t refuse to craft a weapon for Lou Shuangzui.
Moreover, cultivators have a sense of talent and spiritual power. Lou Shuangzui hadn’t started cultivating yet, but the circulation of spiritual power in his body already had a faint outline. His talent didn’t seem low at all.
In the cultivation world, it’s survival of the fittest. A strong junior is a new hope and legacy. As a peak master of Chen Yue Sect, he naturally felt joy at the sight. But if it were people from Shi Yang Sect, Bai Hua Sect, Shan He Sect, or Tian Dao Sect, they wouldn’t be so happy. After all, even though they’re all part of the Immortal Realm, without facing external enemies, they’re also competitors with each other.
Wen Guyue glanced at his senior brother who was ordering him around, but he didn’t say much. He just chuckled and went out from behind the curtain to get the spiritual testing stone from the storeroom.
A moment later, he returned with a piece of crystal clear as water, without a trace of impurity—this was the spiritual testing stone used in the cultivation world to determine spiritual roots.
Wen Guyue placed the spiritual testing stone in front of Wen Shunian, crossed his arms, and yawned. As expected of the rare martial faction of Beast Taming Peak, he had trained his body to be muscular. When he crossed his arms, the bulging, veiny arms exposed outside his sleeves were particularly eye-catching.
Wen Shunian smiled and beckoned Lou Shuangzui over. The young man lifted his golden eyes to glance at Lian Chaoxi, then quickly walked to the desk. He bowed his head and called out, “Sect Leader Martial Uncle,” then lowered his head and placed his hand on the spiritual testing stone as guided by Wen Shunian.
His black hair fell over his chest, the overly long bangs obscuring part of his vision. Lou Shuangzui focused intently on the spiritual stone beneath his hand. He could feel a certain power within his body draining away, a sensation akin to the mental power of the interstellar era.
The stone’s color gradually changed, slowly lighting up, bright and deep, a dark green as rich as flowing snake venom, like the entwining vines in deep mountain forests.
Wen Shunian glanced at it, his eyes widening in surprise, his purple eyes revealing a hint of delight. “Single spiritual root, a mutated wood spiritual root. This color mutation should be a poison attribute.”
Author’s Note:
The world setting will be gradually filled in as the plot progresses.